Butch and Sundance
by M E Wofford
Summary: Ziva and Tony are in a gunfight and still Tony manages to find out something about Ziva that surprises him.
1. Chapter 1

Despite how this story plays out at the beginning it is not a death fiction, none of our NCIS team dies. But Ziva and Tony do have an iffy moment, or maybe two. Slight spoiler for _Chimera_. Also, of course, the movie _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ as well as the movie _Ghost. _This is set sometime after season 8.

I own no part of NCIS. If I did there surely would have been some follow up on "couldn't live without you" before now.

Butch and Sundance

-1-

The sharp coppery smell of blood hung in the air, an almost solid presence. Everytime he tried to take a deep breath it felt like it coated his nostrils, his lungs, closed up his throat. He had two bullet holes in him as opposed to her one but her one was in the lower abdomen and much more worrisome, at least to him. She sat next to him, legs stretched out and her back against the wall, shoving the last magazine into her Glock. The rasping sound she'd been making for a while seemed louder with each inhale.

His own breathing didn't sound much better. He knew he had a through and through in his right thigh and then a second wound to the left shoulder. Felt like the damned thing had refractured his clavicle, the same one he'd broken in high school. The bullet was still in there somewhere and the pain was almost bearable if he stayed perfectly still but of course he had to keep turning his head to check on Ziva.

Pale, she was way too pale. Her shirt and jeans were soaked in blood down her left side, pooling underneath her, where it merged into his own not-so-small puddle. Did this make them blood of each other's blood or something?

"You look like shit, Ziva."

A tiny smile appeared on her colorless lips and then slipped away.

"May I return the compliment, Tony?"

She didn't look at him as she leaned her head back against the wall, lowering her now reloaded gun to her lap. With closed eyes she looked too much like a crime scene photo, it scared him.

"You know Gibbs will come riding to the rescue at the last minute, right?"

Several seconds passed and he could hear noises from outside, as if people were moving around, changing places, getting ready to come in and shoot them dead.

"I do not think so, Tony. Not this time. He has no idea where we are. Cell phones out of range. Even Tim and Abby cannot find us this time."

He started to say something and she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Not this time, Tony."

She closed her eyes again.

Ignoring the pain, except for a hiss he couldn't hold back, he butt cheek walked slowly to where he could touch her thigh with his. Only an inch or two but it seemed to take a long time. They looked like they were wearing matching dark red pants. Carefully leaning over, tears spurting from his eyes at the pain of the movement, he touched her shoulder with his. She sighed and leaned toward him. He gritted his teeth at the gentle jostling. He would have held her hand but the right one still held her gun and the left one, the closest to him, was clutched to her side, trying to stem her bleed out.

He was so tired. Really, he needed a nap. So easy to just lean on her and they could both fall asleep.

It jarred him back to wakefulness when she spoke again.

"What was that movie, the one with the 2 bank robbers who chose to die trying to shoot their way out rather than wait for the coup de grace from the soldiers? I think it was in Bolivia? I remember you told Gibbs once you always thought you would want to go out like that, in a gunfight."

It took her a while to get it all out, she had to stop every third or fourth word and breathe. The voice was much too soft for his ninja. Then he realized what she'd said.

"You talking about _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_? Paul Newman, Robert Redford, 1969, best song academy award, best screenplay, best director…?"

She nodded slowly.

"Yes. We should do that."

"Go out in a blaze of glory?"

"Yes."

The iconic image of Redford and Newman bursting out of the ramshackle building they'd been trapped in, guns in both hands, fearless determined looks on their handsome faces, flashed through his mind. He had indeed told Gibbs on that nasty ship, the Chimera, that he'd rather go out like Butch and Sundance than die the victim of a gruesome gastrointestinal plague but actually he didn't want to go out at all. Gibbs would find them. He always had.

But looking at Ziva, at their ever widening shared blood puddle and realizing how woozy he was, he thought it might be something to consider. At least if they talked about it, it would give them something to do besides wait for the end, however it came.

"Okay. I'm in. I guess I'm Sundance."

"No, you are Butch Cassidy."

Trust Ziva to argue with him even at a time like this.

"WHY do I have to be Butch?"

"You are older. Isn't Butch older than Sundance?"

"Well, yeah, but Sundance is blond and better looking and that's me."

She made a guttural sound deep in her throat and he was afraid, so afraid…then he realized she was laughing, not long and not loud, but laughing nonetheless until it ended in a cough and a moan.

"Yes, Tony, you are the beautiful blond one. I will be Butch Cassidy."

He didn't say anything. Something weird was going on here. It took him a minute…hold the popcorn! She actually knew the movie. She knew Butch was older.

"Wait! Did you actually watch this movie?"

The little hit and run smile came back for a moment.

"Yes. After you mentioned it. They were both beautiful men were they not?"

"I guess. When did you start watching…?"

"Does it really matter, Tony? If I am to die today I would rather take the fight to them than wait for a bullet to the back of the head; face my death like Butch and Sundance did."

The more he thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him. Facing their enemies, maybe taking out 1 or 2 more of them, not going out meek and mild, but fierce and wild. Yeah, that was something to consider. And God knows, he had to admit she was right. Chances of Gibbs finding them were anorexic to nonexistent.

He looked over at her again, touched his head to her's, trying not to moan at the intense pain the movement gave him.

"Okay, Butch. Okay. Let's do it. You ready?"

Her chest heaved as she spoke.

"Give me a minute, Tony. Then I will be. I need to rest for a minute."

Their harsh breathing was the only sound in the room but he thought he heard the whup-whup-whup of a helicopter off in the distance and for a second he imagined Gibbs coming to find his wayward chicks. Maybe not - cause then he heard a man's voice screaming in Spanish they had one minute then he and his companeros were coming in. To kill their asses. Dead.

"We got to go now, Ziva. They're going to be coming in."

She didn't move.

"Ziva…?"

"I do not think I can do it now, Tony."

"Yes, you can. C'mon, I'll help you up."

She shook her head and the gun slipped from her hand.

"I am sorry, Tony."

Why was she sorry? He was the one who'd led them into this deathtrap, not her. In fact, she'd been shot while trying to help him up and into the shed.

"What the hell are you sorry about?"

A tear slid down her face.

"I am sorry it all has to end."

He wanted to deny it, pretend he didn't know what she was talking about, say it wasn't ending, force her to believe they'd get out of this alive. But he couldn't. The joker couldn't deny it this time. Reaching over he gently wiped the tear away, his hand cupping her cheek.

"I'm sorry too, Ziva."

She rubbed her face on his hand.

"I'm sorry I never told you what you mean to me."

He blinked in surprise. Has loss of blood unhinged both his mouth and his brain?

"I'm sorry I never told you you're more than my partner, you're my best friend. You're the one who keeps me sane on the bad days."

Now he'd started, he couldn't stop. His mouth just kept moving.

"I'm sorry I never told you how beautiful you are or how happy I was when you became an American. And I'm really sorry I never told you how much I need you."

Finally, he managed to shut up.

The smile was more definite this time and she managed to bring her hand up to cover his. Her eyes luminous, bottomless; he saw his soul reflected in their depths.

"Ditto," she said.

"Ditto? Did you say 'ditto'?"

Ziva was quoting _Ghost_?

She never got the chance to respond to his question as the door slammed open, a large body filling the opening. People yelling. Guns firing. Someone screaming.

He realized he was the screamer even as he tried to shield Ziva with his torso and the bullet in his shoulder moved causing a straight shot of agony to his brain leaving him afloat in a sea of pain, white light filling his vision. Then the pain took the light and sound too.


	2. Chapter 2

I still do not own any piece of NCIS.

Butch and Sundance

-2-

A constant low humming, annoying really, kept him from hearing all but snatches of the conversations around him.

"…dammit, DiNozzo…"

Sure. That was Gibbs.

"…shit, she's crashing. Get that damned IV started even if you have to do a cutdown. Then pump it or she won't…"

Who were they talking about? Ziva? Crashing? He tried to sit up.

"…whoa, big fella…hold him down…that bullet in his…"

He felt like he was floating. Then he heard the helicopter again; whup, whup… He wanted to sleep but people kept tugging at him and whispering from down a long tunnel and it pissed him off and he couldn't sleep.

A thump shook his whole body and he opened his eyes. He was moving, he knew that much but not how or where. Faces were staring down at him. One of them had pale blue eyes. He knew those eyes, it was Gibbs…

"…I'll take the woman. Get Fenton down here for the man. And get the ortho on call as well. Move people, move…"

He thought he heard Vance say "I'm sorry, Jethro" and Ducky talking in his doctor voice "…may never be a field agent again…shoulder damage is extensive…Ziva's critical…"

Tony sat by himself, somewhere in the dark, watching the last few minutes of the movie _Ghost_. He would never admit it but the romance was one of his guilty pleasures. Reason number one - Demi Moore was hot and never hotter than having sex with Swayze in the clay. Reason number two - she cried prettier than any woman he'd ever seen cry and he'd seen lots of them cry, for one reason or another.

Now Swayze realizes he's on his way to Heaven and Moore cries, her big brown eyes overflowing. Finally, finally at the end of the damned movie, Swayze tells her he loves her, from beyond the fucking grave no less. When he'd been alive he'd only ever managed a "ditto" in response to her "I love you." Now, after he finally gets up the dead nerve to say it to her, Demi Moore replies "Ditto" and it's in Ziva's voice.

"Ziva!"

A hand touched his right shoulder.

"Tony, it's okay."

Sounded like Tim McGee, the big McGoo, his Probie, his wing man, his own personal Elf Lord of a computer whiz bang nerd king.

"Tim?"

His voice sounded funny and his throat hurt.

"Here."

Tony opened his eyes. Tim was bent over the bed, holding a cup with a straw sticking out of it. Behind him was a television suspended in midair with Paula Dean talking and stirring. Tim looked tired, rumpled.

"Sip it slowly. Last time you almost choked."

The hard plastic of the straw tasted weird but the tepid water felt good. He held it in his mouth for a moment before forcing it down. It hurt to swallow yeah but it helped so he took another good slurp then waved McGee and his cup away.

Now Tony knew where he was; in a hospital room, in a cranked up, uncomfortable hospital bed with an IV pole next to it. His eyes followed the tube from the partially filled baggy down to where it ended at his right arm, securely taped in place. He was happy he couldn't see the needle piercing his flesh but the damned tape was going to sting like a bitch when they took it off and yanked out the hair underneath.

"Last time?"

Tim nodded and turned around to pull some sort of ugly gray faux recliner nearer the bed. Looked like something the Inquisition might have used in the day.

"Yeah, last time. This is the third time you've been awake today."

Not remembering being awake today until now, kinda scary.

"What happened?"

Settling back in the chair, Tim pulled on his storyteller face.

"Gibbs' gut. Someone called into the Ranger Station, reported hearing what sounded like a replay of the Battle of Gettysburg and Gibbs somehow knew it was you and Ziva…"

The mention of her name brought the scene back to him; his partner's gun laying useless on the floor, bloody clothes, pale face, eyes closed and then the gunshots and his futile, painful attempt to shield her body with his own.

"Ziva?"

He tried to sit up straighter.

"Where is she? She's not…"

McGee interrupted, patting his arm soothingly only Tony was not in the mood to be soothed.

"She's here, Tony. She's alive. It was touch and go for a while but she's alive and the doctors seem to feel pretty confident she'll make it."

There was something he wasn't being told. Probie was holding back, but the interrogation could wait. The important thing was Ziva was alive and he was alive and they were both alive and here and he had to see her.

"Help me up."

"No, Tony, you need to stay in bed. You're not ready to be moving around…"

"Shut up and help me or I swear to God I'll shoot you right in your Thom Gemcity when I finally do get up."

As he tried to shift around in the bed he quickly became aware of two things. The left side of his neck down to where it met his shoulder was covered in layers of gauze, taped down. He'd be losing more body hair. His left arm was immobilized with some sort of strap-on apparatus pressing the arm tightly to his side and his right leg from the upper thigh down was twice its regular size and he couldn't move it. He reached down with his right hand and felt straps and cotton and netting…some kind of big dressing keeping his leg immobilized. He tried to turn his head to get a better look at his left upper body and the pain from that simple movement made dark spots dance in front of his eyes for a moment.

"Christ!"

Now McWorrier was up and at his side, gently pushing on his right side to get him to lie back down.

"Cut it out, Tim. I'm getting out of this goddamned bed and I'm going to see Ziva whether you help me or not."

"It's alright, Timothy. I'll help."

Hearing Ducky's familiar voice almost made Tony cry. Almost. DiNozzo men don't cry.

"I just left Ziva's room, Tony, and she's awake and asking after you. I got permission from your doctor and her's for you to visit for 5 minutes, if you can handle the pain."

"I can fucking handle it, Ducky, just get me up."

"Tony."

Ducky's voice was quiet, his delivering unhappy news voice.

"You are badly injured, Tony. You suffered a shattered clavicle. The bullet didn't pass through but traveled along the bone, a bit more every time you moved. It lodged near your left jugular. It required delicate surgery to remove it. So delicate, in fact, they have put off repairing your fractured collar bone for a few days. Every time you move your upper body you're going to experience excruciating pain."

He tried to wrap his mind around it, the thought he'd come that close to death.

"My leg?"

"A true through and through. Muscle damage but no bony or nerve damage they can see. You should actually be able to walk with ambulatory assistance within a few days."

Okay, okay. Leg will be okay. Neck innards survived. Shoulder still fucked. Not good but not as bad as being dead.

"Then help me out and let's go see Ziva."

Tim put his arm behind Tony and pulled.

"Goddammit!"

The word popped out, beyond his control but the worst thing was he didn't recognize his own voice. He couldn't help the tears of pain either but he made it to the wheelchair.


	3. Chapter 3

Butch and Sundance

-3-

Tony didn't pay much attention to his surroundings during the short trip to the SICU. He closed his eyes and concentrated on not passing out and falling onto the floor. God, he hurt. But Ziva wanted to see him. He needed to see Ziva. There was nothing for it but to go and see her, pain or no.

Gibbs stood by a sliding glass door with curtains drawn on the other side. Tony thought he looked as old as Jackson right now, drained of vitality. But when he saw Tony he nodded.

"Should you be up, DiNozzo?"

Before he could answer, Ducky spoke, "He has permission for a 5-minute visit, Jethro."

Gibbs nodded.

'The surgeon's in there now."

Tony tried to look up at him but couldn't. Gibbs noticed and squatted down by the wheelchair.

"You don't rush things, DiNozzo. You take your time."

"Boss, I'm sor…"

"Don't."

The blue eyes staring into his were checking him over, seeing every single injury, even the scrape on his forehead where he'd fallen before they'd ever gotten into the gunfight.

"Your job now is to heal and rehab. It's your only job. Yours and Ziva's both."

Blinking, Tony could only think they must both be in pretty bad shape if the Boss was being nice.

Gibbs stood as a short doctor with white hair wearing dark green scrubs and a rumpled lab coat came from behind the curtains. Tony thought it was kind of like Let's Make A Deal. Behind this curtain one critically injured ninja, behind the next one crippled special agent…Damn, too many drugs in his system still. He could swear he heard Monty Hall or maybe it was Wayne Brady but it was just the surgeon.

"She's resting easier now. Is this the 'Tony' she talked about?"

Tony would've nodded but he couldn't. Any movement of his head, up or down or side to side, felt like hot steel slicing through his left shoulder and neck.

"Yes," Ducky said, saving him the trouble.

"She's still very weak, very tired. Don't excite her or upset her. Five minutes only, is that understood?"

Once again Ducky answered in the affirmative and then he was pushing Tony through the opening in the curtain, leaving Gibbs and the surgeon behind. The chair came to a stop right next to her bed with his right hand able to reach out and touch her, if he would.

Ducky put the brakes on.

"I'll be right outside, Anthony. Just speak up if you need anything."

He grunted in answer and then sat and looked at her for the first time in what felt like weeks.

She still had one of those ridiculous light blue paper OR shower caps on but her hair was coming out of it, little tendrils surrounding her face and draping onto her shoulders. Maybe Abby could come and brush it out for her, he'd try to remember to mention it when he saw Abs. The tangles were going to be phenomenal. Ziva'd be cursing in so many languages she'd sound like a free-for-all at the U.N. He laughed at the image in his head but it ended up coming out more like a sob. She had nasal oxygen going and two IV lines in her left arm. One was for blood. He wondered just how much blood she had lost at the scene, just how close she had come to dying.

Dammit, she was going to be alright. The doctor and, more importantly, Ducky had said so.

"Tony?"

A whisper, nothing more. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah, it's me. Guess we missed our big Butch and Sundance moment but I think we probably lived up to the 'oh shit' scene pretty good."

Pale pink lips formed a smile and she opened her eyes.

"And you are still the beautiful blond one, yes?"

Her voice was so low, he barely heard her. If he could have he would have leaned in closer. As it was he did what he could, took her hand, where it lay in the bed next to her, and squeezed.

"Damned straight."

He held onto her hand tightly, probably hurting her, but he couldn't stop.

"Ducky says we're both going to be okay. I got to have another surgery tomorrow or next day on my shoulder but by the end of the week, we both should be able to break out of this joint."

"I hope so."

It seemed to take so much effort for her to speak. He should leave, let her go back to sleep but he couldn't. Not yet. He hadn't had his fill of seeing her chest rise and fall, feeling the pulse beat in her slender wrist.

"Hey! I didn't know you'd seen _Ghost. _You never told me."

A dimple appeared beside her lips then vanished.

"I do not tell you every movie I have seen, Tony."

"I know. But well, you knew what 'ditto' meant!"

She nodded carefully, probably afraid to move too much, like him.

"Then, when you said 'ditto', you knew you were…?"

Slowly she pulled her hand away from his and reached up to touch his face. He closed his eyes as he felt the coolness of her fingers on his cheek. Despite the surrounding odors of hospital - disinfectant, old blood, uncontrolled bodily functions - he could swear he caught a whiff of the essence of Ziva and he breathed it in deeply despite the pain the movement caused.

"Yes. I know. I was agreeing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"To everything I said?"

"Yes."

When she said yes she moved her fingers from his cheek to his lips and traced the curvature of his mouth.

"Definitely yes."

He reached up and took her hand and pressed it tightly to his lips, letting her feel the heat of his mouth against her palm, all the time watching her face. The smile she gave him, colorless lips, dark circles under her eyes, was beautiful. A living, breathing Ziva was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life and it almost took his breath away.

"Anthony, it's time. We have to go back."

Ducky was coming up behind him. He continued for just a moment more to hold her hand to his face and then slowly lowered it back to the bed.

"I gotta go."

"I know."

"I'll see you later."

"Ditto."

God knows he didn't want to leave her. Hell, he couldn't even turn around and look back at her as Ducky pushed him out of the room. And God knew he didn't want to have another surgery plus probably a butt load of physical therapy. Yet, somehow he was happy. No, maybe not happy but at least content. At this moment. He and his Ninja Girl were alive. Not well, not by a long shot but they'd survived and maybe, just maybe admitted some truths to each other in an oblique, movie metaphor kind of way. They were still together. Butch and Sundance together. He'd have to remember to tell her she was so much better looking than Paul Newman despite the man's blue, blue eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

The final chapter, which is actually an epilogue.

This chapter is more about what happens when they are forced by circumstances to sit back with each other and letting things happen. Especially without Gibbs' ever watchful eye on them. How it might turn out for them. It might be a little too much on the realistic side but I'll leave that up to the reader's interpretation. As Ducky said a couple of weeks ago, change is inevitable.

As always, I do not own any part of NCIS.

Butch and Sundance

-4-

Six months later

Tony DiNozzo stood on the landing outside the Director's office looking down on his desk. A woman with her light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail sat there now, Dorcas Drake. The red-headed man who sat at Ziva's old desk, his name was Ben Jamison. Gibbs' desk was empty. But McGee still sat at his old spot, typing away. The acting Senior Field Agent for the MCRT looked busy but Tony knew he was just dawdling until it was time to meet Abby, Ducky and Ziva for lunch. Gibbs might show too. The Boss was in with Vance right now but who knew for how long?

Working his left shoulder back and forth to ease the stiffness Tony thought about survival and second chances. In the past 6 months he'd been through hell; 3 surgeries on his left shoulder, endless hours of extreme torture masquerading as physical therapy and finally realizing that somehow, in the midst of all the pain and worry, he'd found something pretty special, something worth holding on to.

His own talk with Vance earlier had been short and to the point. The bad news - he was never going to be a field agent again, even if he could pass most of the physical requirements including accuracy on the gun range. The permanent stiffness and inability to raise his left arm above shoulder height was going to keep him desk bound. He'd known it was coming but still he'd felt adrift for a few moments after Vance made his pronouncement. What else could he do? He was a cop. If he couldn't hack it with NCIS would a small town police force hire him?

But good news followed. Vance started talking about Quantico and the FBI training facility, about a position for him there as an instructor. Both Gibbs and Fornell had given him their endorsements for the job. Training new agents, an endless stream of probies, staying in the D.C. area, it was definitely something he was interested in. He'd asked Vance if he could let him know his decision tomorrow and gotten the okay. There was someone he needed to talk to before he made it final.

Down below he saw McGee look up and smile. Even from where he stood, Tony could hear Abby's voice.

"McGee, where's Tony. We're starving!"

Ziva was hidden behind Abby until the taller woman stepped aside to sit on the corner of McGee's desk. Tony smiled. Gone were the days of cargo pants and work boots. Today she was every inch the young professional ninja. A tight, dark green skirt, white silk blouse and very tall black heels - the sexy secretary look he called it just to piss her off. Her hair was pulled back on either side, held with jade combs and then left to hang loose down her back. He knew she wore it that way for him. She walked with a sure and even stride, a far cry from the bent over, shuffling gait she'd had at the beginning of her rehab. The clothing also hid the new scar bisecting her left side from belly button to spine, a permanent reminder of the removal of her destroyed left kidney.

So many things had changed since the shootings. Ziva now worked in NCIS Intel. When you stopped to think about it, it was the perfect fit for an agent with her knowledge of the Middle East and gift for languages. Director Vance had been more than happy to slide her into an open position in the department. She'd been angry and stubborn about it at first but once Gibbs sat her down and told her the hard facts about not ever being able to be a field agent again what with a missing kidney and a damaged liver, she'd calmed down, accepted the position and even thanked Vance for the opportunity. She was already making a name for herself, both in the US and overseas, as a force to be reckoned with. His Ninja - a force of nature for damned sure.

Just then she looked up and saw him. Her smile warmed him from the inside out. In fact, he hoped he wasn't blushing. She just did something to him when she smiled like that, like he was the most important person in her world.

It still surprised him how it all worked out. There'd been no discussion really, it just happened. Without the dual stressors of work and Gibbs and sharing rides to physical therapy appointments they were thrown together constantly, often spending the night together when she would make supper for him after she recovered enough to stand up for more than a couple of minutes at a time, or at his place where he would order in and they'd watch movies. Laughing, arguing, commiserating with each other, encouraging each other, soon she spent more time at his place than at hers.

It just came naturally, organically; like it was meant to be, although he didn't believe in such nonsense. Now most of her clothes were hanging in his spare closet. Her toothbrush, toiletries and make-up were in his bathroom. Their dirty laundry shared the same basket. She slept in his bed every night and they woke up to each other every morning; all wild hair, morning breath and sheet marks. He couldn't get enough of it.

Sex hadn't been a part of their new relationship, not until a few weeks ago. They were both too early in their rehabilitation process but then early one morning he'd woken up to Ziva kissing him, running her hands over him, and then climbing on top of him. It hadn't been the best sex he'd ever had but it had been by far the sweetest and most satisfying. Afterwards, and the whole thing was over way too damn fast by his usual standards, with Ziva asleep once more snuggled into his side, he finally admitted to himself what THIS was. This was exactly what he wanted; no, what he needed.

And tonight he had a little surprise for her. His therapist had given him the all clear to go ahead and do push ups, a useful euphemism for male superior position intercourse. Oh yeah. He felt a big smile spread across his face. Yep, Tony DiNozzo was definitely going to be back in the saddle tonight.

"She doing okay, DiNozzo?"

Oh shit. It was Gibbs. Tony quickly lost his smile. Gibbs probably knew what he was thinking and there might be a head slap coming his way any moment. To distract his soon to be former boss Tony answered his question in detail.

"Yeah, boss. She's good. Back to running at least 3 miles every morning. Happiest when she's on the gun range, of course."

"How's the new job? MacLeod's her boss, right?"

"Yeah."

"MacLeod's a good man."

Tony looked down at Ziva again. She had her little forehead wrinkle going as she saw him and Gibbs standing together and talking.

"And you? How 'bout you, DiNozzo?"

Gibbs' eyes were locked onto his, demanding honesty.

"I'm doing okay. In some ways better than I ever have before," and he couldn't help it. He looked down at Ziva again then back to Gibbs.

"I guess you know I won't be coming back as an NCIS field agent, right? Vance told me you'd recommended me for the position at Quantico."

"It's a good fit for you, Tony. Different than what you've done, but a good fit."

"So you really think I should take it?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Yeah."

Looking back down into the bullpen, Tony saw Ducky had arrived and was receiving his customary bone crushing Abby hug. It was time to join the group for lunch.

"I have to talk it over with Ziva first, Boss. I told Vance I'd give him my answer tomorrow."

He watched Gibbs out of the corner of his eye expecting a frown or something worse but Gibbs nodded and grinned. Grinned! Now his day was perfect; a new job waiting, Gibbs not smacking his head for being with Ziva, smiling about it in fact, and the freedom to indulge himself and Ziva tonight without restraint.

"We're going to Toscano's for lunch. You're welcome to join us," he offered.

Gibbs nodded again.

"Let's go," he said.

They walked side by side down the stairs. When they reached the bottom Ziva was there. Gibbs reached out and took her in his arms and hugged her to him whispering something in her ear that made her start and then smile and kiss him on the cheek. When she turned to Tony he picked up her hand and kissed her palm, their special greeting since that day in the SICU. He kept hold of her hand as Abby came clomping over and hugged Gibbs until his face turned red.

"Abs…" he gasped.

"Oh, sorry, Gibbs, sorry. We're going to lunch. Wanna come with us. Timmy's buying."

McGee made a startled sound.

"What?"

"Well, you're the one who just got the big raise, Timmy."

"I'M buying," Gibbs said.

They all turned to stare at him. Sure he'd buy coffee sometimes but never lunch. He stared right back.

"But, Gibbs, you never…"

"I know, Abby, but this time I am. Let's go."

Ziva, Ducky, Abby and Tim all started toward the elevator but Tony held back.

"What's up, Boss?"

Gibbs glanced around the bullpen then back to Tony.

"Lots of changes coming, DiNozzo. I told Vance today I wanted to take retirement. Gave him 90-day notice."

"What?"

"It's time. I don't want to train another team…and my dad's not doing so well. I'm going to spend more time with him, see if I can get him to move down here."

"But, boss, what about…?"

"It'll all work out, DiNozzo. Life's all about change. This one's a lot easier than most."

With that he walked away leaving Tony puzzled, confused, off balance and just generally not sure of the ground he walked on anymore. Gibbs not at NCIS? It had happened before but this time it felt more permanent. No go backs. He shook his head. Was the world as he knew it ending?

Gibbs made it to the small group by the elevator just as the doors opened. Everyone but Ziva went inside and she gave them a wave to go on without her. She came back to him.

"Is something wrong, Tony?"

She touched his arm. She was always doing that now, touching him. Each and every time she did it, physically expressing her feelings for him, in public or private, his heart beat a little faster.

"No, nothing's wrong. Everything's right."

He pulled her into his arms and did something he'd never thought he would, he kissed her right there in the office. A deep, wonderful kiss with tongue, her breasts pressed into his chest and he knew she was getting into it when she put her hands behind his neck and pulled herself up on her toes. They only broke apart when they began to hear scattered applause behind them.

"There's going to be some changes, Ziva. Already have been, I know. But more are on the way."

Her smile could have been painted by DaVinci.

"Nothing Butch and Sundance cannot handle, yes?"

"Yep."

They started walking toward the elevator, holding hands.

"And I have a really BIG surprise for you tonight, Ziva David. I think you'll like it."

"Yes? A really BIG surprise? And you will like it too?"

"Yes, I will. I look forward to this evening with, shall I say, great anticipation."

Her dimples showed and she winked at him.

"Ditto."

FIN


End file.
